When we hear “inventor,” we often imagine scientists in white coats working long hours in a laboratory. However, some things that seem modern today were invented centuries ago - and according to some experts, the Aztecs invented them. This includes popcorn, a kind of sauna, and much more. Let's find out what things, according to historians, were invented by the Aztecs. 
1. Chinampas 
Chinampas are a farming system that uses artificial floating islands created in natural bodies of water. Such islands eliminated the need to use complex methods of artificial irrigation. The Aztecs created them in the 14th century in the Valley of Mexico, and grew a variety of crops on them, including corn, beans, tomatoes and chili peppers. Today, chinampas remain an important source of food: thanks to them, 40 thousand tons of products are produced per year.
2. Chewing gum 
Although chewing gum was technically invented by the Mayans, the Aztecs discovered a more practical way to use it. While extracting resin from Manilkara trees, they discovered a substance called chicle, a natural latex sap. The Mayans dried it and used it to quench thirst and fight hunger. And the Aztecs realized that with its help they could freshen their breath. But the latter strictly monitored the use of chewing gum: only children and unmarried women were allowed to chew it in public. Men and married women were supposed to chew it in secret.
3. The first semblance of an aqueduct 
When the need for a constant supply of fresh water arose in the 1300s, the Aztecs found a solution: they built the Chapultepec Aqueduct to supply drinking water to Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City). The structure was built to last - some parts of the aqueduct have been preserved in Mexico City to this day. It was also framed by a convenient wooden boardwalk, making it possible to travel from the city to remote areas.
4. Ball game 
The Aztec ball game (or tlachtli) was similar to the ancient Mesoamerican game, and its origins come from the ancient Olmec civilization. Among the Aztecs, it appeared not only as a form of entertainment, but also for political and religious reasons. Also, when the Aztecs settled in a new place, the first thing they always did was build a court for playing tlachtli. The modern version of the sport, known as ulama, is still played today.
5. Rubber 
According to one version, it is believed that the Aztecs (and Mayans) invented rubber - including the rubber ball used to play tlachtli. They discovered that rubber was produced by mixing latex from rubber trees with the sap of the Morning Glory vine. This juice contained chemical elements that made the hardened latex less brittle. They also found that when more juice was added, the elasticity and “bounceability” of the material increased, and if less juice was added, the material became stronger and more wear-resistant. Over time, scientists developed a formula that produced both elastic and wear-resistant rubber.
6. Red dye 
Some historians believe that the bright red dye that the Aztecs “invented” then spread to other countries. When the Spanish conquistadors met the Aztec leader Montezuma, they were shocked by the bright red color of his robes. The Aztecs obtained this bright shade by collecting, drying and grinding Mexican cochineal beetles (a type of insect of the genus Dactylopius) into powder. The red dye quickly became popular and spread throughout the Holy Roman Empire, where it was used to dye military uniforms, and then throughout Great Britain, where it was used to dye the robes of royalty. This practice of obtaining paint still exists today in some areas of Peru and the Canary Islands.
7. Chocolate 
Although the history of cocoa dates back to earlier Mesoamerican peoples, it was the Aztecs who perfected it and introduced chocolate to the world. The Aztecs once drank caffeinated cocoa hot or cold, and even used cocoa beans as currency to purchase other goods. One day, the conquistador Hernan Cortes tried chocolate from the Aztecs, and returned to Spain with magic cocoa beans - according to some historians, this is how chocolate came to Europe.
8. Antispasmodic 
The Aztecs made many herbal and plant-based medicines, ranging from remedies to treat infections to aloe vera to treat certain skin conditions. They are also famous for developing an antispasmodic remedy based on two plants: passion flower and sweet lipia. The drug was commonly given to patients before surgery to relax muscles and prevent spasms during procedures.
9. Similar to a sauna 
The Aztecs invented the temazcal, or “hot stone house” in their language, a traditional steam bath that was used in religious rites and rituals in those days. Temazcals were usually built of stone and cement (sometimes volcanic rock) in the shape of an igloo. Most often, wealthier people could afford them.
10. Popcorn 
Popcorn has been around for centuries—it dates back to 4700 BC and was first discovered on the coast of Peru. It was part of the Aztec culture: corn kernels were cooked over an open fire or heated in hot sand.
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